As we approach the end of 2015, most shows have now gone on hiatus, and with mid-season breaks, it means only one thing here at TVOvermind: round table discussions! After discussing Arrow‘s fourth season in our first round table yesterday, we now turn our attention over to The Flash Season 2.
Spoiler alert: Below, our writers will be sharing what they’ve thought about The Flash Season 2 up until this point and discussing major events from the season’s first nine episodes. Therefore, if you’re not caught up on this season of The Flash and don’t want to be spoiled on certain storylines, stop reading at this point and check out this article once you’ve finished watching the first half of Season 2.
After the events of the Season 1 finale, Barry, along with the rest of The Flash‘s characters, all went through some major changes. Which character’s evolution from the Season 1 finale has been most interesting to follow in the first half of Season 2?
Andy Behbakht: As someone who loves the character of Cisco from the comics, seeing how the events of the Season 1 finale not only changed him but got him more in touch with his abilities has been one of the most compelling parts of Season 2. There has been a lot of focus on Cisco this season. However, I feel we haven’t gotten to see Iris express what is going with her since she lost Eddie, which is a shame. Anyone who endures a trauma like they all did that day should be allowed to show where they are emotionally; maybe that will come in the second half.
Sean Colletti: Cisco is, without a doubt, the best character on The Flash right now. Whether it’s trying to come to terms with his vibing, getting tangled into an emotionally difficult relationship, or simply being the best voice of reason and morality, Cisco has stepped up big in grounding the main cast of the series in engaging stories, either as a central or side character, depending on the episode. It’s so difficult to make a character who is the best source of comedic relief into someone who the viewers can connect with on a more personal level (especially when characters like Joe and Henry dominate the emotional core of the series), but the writers have done just that with Cisco. He’s funny, he’s sympathetic, he’s believable, and he’s one of the best characters to spend time with on television right now.
Jasef Wisener: For me, the most interesting character to follow has been the Earth-2 version of Harrison Wells. I love that the show managed to kill off a deservedly evil character while still being able to keep Tom Cavanaugh on as the same character from a different point of view. “Harry,” as the characters seem to love to refer to him, has been an absolute blast to watch, and his sarcastic brooding has been probably my favorite part about the first half of the season.
Blaise Hopkins: Cisco has been really good, but I’ve still most enjoyed Barry’s constant evolution. So far, my favorite thing to watch was Barry deal with losing his speed and going up against someone clearly more powerful than him and how to handle it. Barry has a lot of people offering him advice this season, and it’s been a ton to deal with. I wish that the show would have given us a little more of Iris dealing with Eddie’s death throughout this first half of the show. The Flash has been showing a good progression for Iris, but I definitely wouldn’t have criticized the show had they shown her struggling to cope with what happened to Eddie and how each character helped her through it.
Nick Hogan: It’s extremely hard to choose. All of the characters have been incredibly compelling since the shift, but the most (for me) is Joe West. With Henry Allen out of jail but gone, Joe has gone into full-on father mode, as well as hunting meta-humans. With his ex returning, and the Wally bombshell dropped, Joe has been put through the emotional ringer in the first half of the season. Lucky for all of us, Joe (and Jesse L. Martin) is the emotional base and foundation of the show. I think The Flash thrives on its emotional moments, and Joe is a major contributor to that.
Tiffany Chang: I would have to go with Caitlin Snow. She lost her husband Ronnie moments after they were married by Dr. Stein. It was a bit shocking, to say the least, to see her move on so quickly with Jay Garrick when he came into S.T.A.R Labs and started mentoring Barry.
Chris King: As much as I love Cisco (he’s somehow gotten even funnier and more charming this season), I haven’t found his struggle with his newly discovered abilities to be that compelling. Therefore, I’d have to go with Barry, who we’ve seen truly become a leader in this first half of Season 2. Although the events of the Season 1 finale initially made Barry believe that he had to save Central City by himself, it’s been satisfying and heartwarming to watch him discover the true importance of his fellow Team Flash members and realize that they’re always stronger together than they are alone.
As The Flash continues to explore its bigger mythology, we have gotten the introduction of the Multiverse, starting with Earth-2. Whether you are a comic book fan or just a general TV viewer, how have you enjoyed the Multiverse aspect so far in the season with doppelgangers, new meta-humans, Jay Garrick, and Harry Wells? Has it been handled well, or is there too much being introduced all at once?
Andy Behbakht: I think for the general TV viewer, the concept of Multiverse has been laid out very well so far, especially with Dr. Stein’s explanation at the start of the season. There was some concern from me at the start that maybe the show would explore multiple Earths all at once, but luckily, it’s just one Earth at the moment. I have especially enjoyed seeing all the doppelgangers that we’ve gotten so far, especially Dr. Light, but that was mostly when we saw our Linda get to be Dr. Light, which was an awesome story. However, the biggest highlight with the Earth-2 aspect is, without a doubt, Harry Wells. While I do dig Jay Garrick, I still feel we haven’t seen enough of him.
Sean Colletti: When a series can handle time travel and multiple dimensions without crumbling under the weight of believability issues, that series has real writing chops. The Flash, with the Earth-2 aspect, essentially said “Here is a huge pitfall of narrative, and here’s how I’m going to completely ignore it.” Having multiple Flashes has been tons of fun, but the biggest tick in the success column for Earth-2 plot has been how having a different Harrison Wells hasn’t taken a single shred of power away from the other Wells, who continues to haunt Barry. The scene in which Barry is talking to Harry from behind glass but talking to the Wells that isn’t there anymore is one of the best scenes the series has done thus far. And, unsurprisingly, Tom Cavanagh has been pitch perfect. Harry Wells acts and talks just differently enough to feel like a completely new character, which further makes the balancing act look way easier than it probably is. More series (especially science-fiction ones) should look to The Flash as an example of how to execute a lot of these time jump stories effectively.
Jasef Wisener: I think there’s been a great flow and pacing with the introduction of the Multiverse elements, and I feel that Dr. Stein’s explanation of the Multiverse early in the season perfectly stated the concept to those that may not be familiar. The doppelganger element has allowed the show to explore familiar characters in new and unique ways, and the additions to the universe, such as Jay Garrick, have been fun to watch.
Blaise Hopkins: I think the show has done a great job of slowly bringing in Earth-2 and all of its elements. Bringing Tom Cavanagh back as Earth-2 Harry was probably the best way to initiate the idea of a second universe, because he’s such a great character and someone we knew had died. While we know Earth-2 exists, we haven’t really had too many characters shoved in our face. Zoom has only been in a couple of episodes so far, Jay has been slowly integrated, and although Jesse Quick has been introduced, she still hasn’t been utilized. I love multiple universes and the idea that The Flash can bring in other characters, so I hope the show explores it more, but it’s been a great introduction so far.
Nick Hogan: I’m not an extreme comic book fan, but that being said, I can often appreciate shows for what they are rather than being “canon loyal.” At the beginning of the season, I was a tad overwhelmed with the Earth-2 mythology. However, much like Season 1, The Flash just needed some time to simmer before it really cooks. The episode with Linda Park’s doppelganger was the real turning point for me, and since then, it’s felt more on target. I would assume this show needs to hit the ground running (no pun intended) at the beginning, to give us the kind of momentum from the end of last season.
Tiffany Chang: The whole Multiverse aspect has been quite a ride so far. I’m intrigued by all these doppelgangers and this new, fatherly version of Dr. Wells. To be honest, when I saw the new Wells, I feared that it was the Reverse-Flash again. It would be very interesting to see if the new Wells would repeat history as it were and stab Team Flash in the back. I’m hoping that’s not the case.
Chris King: While I’ve really enjoyed the presence of Jay Garrick, Harry Wells, and Zoom so far in The Flash Season 2, the series has felt a little overstuffed with new characters and concepts. Part of the reason why the show has felt so crowded may also be because The Flash, like Arrow, has been burdened with setting up Legends of Tomorrow, but there’s no denying that it has lost focus on a few of its major characters, such as Caitlin and Joe, in the shuffle. Here’s hoping that now that Earth-2 is fully established and the conflict between Zoom and Barry is clear that The Flash will be able to turn its attention to the characters that didn’t get as many moments to shine in the first half of Season 2.
[Photos via The CW]
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